Bank protective apparatus



w. F. CERVENKA. BANK PROTECTIVE APPARA- us. APPLICATlON FILED FEB. 5,1920.

1327,0155 Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

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INVENTOR W. F. CERVENKA'. BANK PROTECTIVEAPPARATUS'.

APPLFCATlON FILED FEB. 5,1920 Q Patented Aug. 22, 1922.

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. UUDDUDUUDUUD UDUUDUUUUUUU DDDDDUUUUUUD UNM'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM FRANK CERVENKA, OF TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

BANK PROTECTIVE APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Itatent. fl t 22, 19,22

Application filed February 5, 1920. Serial No. 356,452.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. CERVENKA, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Traverse City, in' the county of Grand Traverse andState of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in BankProtective Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for pre venting burglars from holding upthe oilicials of a bank and taking the money therefrom and the principalobject of the invention is to provide a concealed gun which is aimed atthe window opening with electrical means for firing the gunwhen acircuit closing part within: easy reach of the teller is struck.

Another object of the invention is to conceal the gun in acase which ismade to resemble a suitcase or cash box and which is arranged on thecounter adjacent the window and with the gun therein covering a personstanding in front of the window.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of theseveral parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which v Figure1 is a side elevation of the gun supporting and actuating means.

Figure 2'is a like view of the other side of such means.

Figure 3 is a plan View thereof.

Figure 4 is an end view of such means.

Figure 5 is a view with parts in section and parts broken away showinghow the parts are arranged at the tellers window.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit.

In these views 1 indicates a gun supporting block which is located onthe base 2. This block is provided with a recess. 3 to receive the handgrip 4 and the trigger guard of the gun. The barrel 5 of the gun rests uon the top of the block and at this point tlie block may be slightlyhollowed so as to receive theportions connected with the underpart ofthe barrel. If desired I may place a packing of leather or the like 1nthe recess to engage portions of the gun to holdthe same firmly on theblock. The gun is held in position in the recess by means of the bar 6which is secured tothe block by the bolts 7 The-block is provided withatransverse opening 8 and the bar 6 is provided with an elongated notch9 and a lever 10 passes through said opening and notch and has oneendfpivoted at 11 to a bracket 12 carried by the-block. This leverengages the trigger of the gun and its opposite end is connected to thearmature 13 by the screw 14 and spring 15. A pair of magnets 16 areopening 24'is made in one-end of this case which is in alignment withthe muzzle of the gun so that the bullet will pass through the same whenthe gun is fired. This opening is covered by a thin wafer 25, made toresemble the rest of the case so that the opening cannot be detected.

I provide means whereby the act of the teller raising his hands whencommanded to do so by the robber will close the circuit and fire thegun. Such means consists in providing a false sectional ceiling for thecage, each section 26 being formed of a grid plate which ismovablysupported from the main ceiling which is indicated at 27. Themeans for supporting the section consists of blocks 28 connected withthe main ceiling and one of which is formed of insulating material,these blocks carrying a plate 29 which engages the edge of the gridplate 26.

Bolts 3.0 are also carried by the insulated false ceiling, pushing itagainst the main" ceiling and thus close h circuit and cause the gun' tobe fired an as the gun is aimed through the window the bullet willstrike the robber. v

It will be understood thata gun is-arranged at each window and each cageis provided with a sectional false ceiling for closing the circuit toeach gun so-that all the windows of the cages are protected. By myinvention it is not necessary for the clerks to hunt around for thebuttons to step upon and all the clerk has to do is to comply with thecommand to raise his hands. He can do this and fire the gun even thoughhis back is towards, the window and the robber.

The gun may be concealed in any desired manner and the case may be madeto take the form of a check protector or any other banking device. WhileI have shown the device arranged on the counter it will of course beunderstood that it may be arranged below the same.

It is thought from the foregoing descrip- 'tion that the advantages andnovel features of my invention will be readily apparent.

- ing in the recess, a removable bar carried by the block for holdingthe gun in place, a bracket on the block, and actuating lever pivotedthereto and engaging the trigger of the gun.

2. A device of the character described comprising a supporting blockrecessed to receive a gun and having means for retaining the gun inplace, an actuating lever pivoted to the'block and penetrating the sametransversely for engagement with the trigger of the gun, a casinginclosing the block to conceal the gun and having an opening in linewith the barrel of the gun, and means for actuating the said lever todischarge the gun.

In testimony whereof I afiix-my signature.

WILLIAM FRANK CERVE NKA.

